UCR, Author at Utah Concert Review

September 30, 2024September 30, 2024

Crowded House

Crowded House • September 18, 2024 • Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Outdoor Summer concerts are dwindling down. Temperatures are dropping and concerts are moving back inside for the next several months. It’s been an amazing season this year at Red Butte Garden. We couldn’t end the season without heading to the amphitheater for one last show. Seeing Australian rock band, Crowded House was the perfect way to end our coverage of this year’s series. It was a brisk night. The cool temperature didn’t deter fans. People just bundled up and as the show went along they warmed up.

Crowded House is a band that for some reason I have never seen before. I’ve listened to them over the years and remember when they came on the scene in the mid-eighties. I know they were supposed to play Eccles Theater within the past few years but something happened to where it was cancelled. Crowded House frontman, Neil Finn even eluded to the canceled show and wondered why they hadn’t returned to Utah in so long. Regardless of the reason, we were glad to see them.

September 30, 2024September 30, 2024

Wynonna

Wynonna Judd • September 25, 2024 • Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

We recently had the opportunity to attend a Lainey Wilson concert out at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre. It was a fun night filled with the excitement of a Country Music star shooting up into the stratosphere of that genre. This was the biggest tour Lainey had played to date and for many, myself included, it was the first time they had the opportunity to see the fast-rising star. Just a couple of weeks later we had the opportunity to take in a show and see the Country Music world from a different perspective. We stepped into the Sandy Amphitheater to see one of Country Music’s biggest legends, Wynonna Judd.

September 27, 2024September 30, 2024

Pitbull

Pitbull • T-Pain • September 25, 2024 • Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

Reviewed and Photographed by Marlo Matamoros

Pitbull AKA Mr. Worldwide brought his Party After Dark Tour to the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre on September 25, 2024. Pitbull brought Grammy-winning artist T-Pain as a special guest to join him on this tour. Both artists have an extensive discography with hits “Hotel Room Service,” “Give Me Everything,” “Buy U a Drank,” “Bartender,” “I’m Sprung”, and both artists have also charted number one.

September 26, 2024September 26, 2024

Billy Joel and Sting to play Rice-Eccles Stadium

BILLY JOEL AND STING ARE COMING TO SALT LAKE CITY!

FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2025 AT RICE-ECCLES STADIUM

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 AT 10 A.M. MT

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (September 26, 2024) – Billy Joel and Sting – two of the most respected recording artists in history – have announced a one-night-only performance at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, UT on Friday, May 23, 2025. The iconic musicians will each perform their most beloved songs from throughout their illustrious careers.

September 25, 2024September 25, 2024

Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson • Jackson Dean • September 13, 2024 • Utah First Amphitheatre

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Lainey Wilson performed a captivating live show at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre. She brought her Country’s Cool Again Tour to Utah with Jackson Dean on September 13. Wilson left the audience in awe with her mix of traditional country charm and modern flair. Known for her distinct voice, engaging storytelling, and powerful stage presence, Lainey brought a high-energy performance that resonated with fans of all ages.

September 25, 2024September 25, 2024

The Lower Lights

The Lower Lights • Masonic Temple • September 14, 2024

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

In the past decade, there hasn’t been a year that has gone by where I haven’t seen The Lower Lights in concert. Over that time I’ve seen this band more than any other. Typically I’ll catch one (sometimes two or three!) of their holiday residency at Kingsbury Hall on the campus of the University of Utah. Those concerts are a Christmas tradition that I refuse to miss. In the last couple of years, in addition to the Christmas concerts, The Lower Lights have gone back to their roots and performed non-holiday shows filled with classic hymns and old spirituals sprinkled with some more modern classics. Last year they played Sandy Amphitheater to great acclaim. For the first time in ten years, The Lower Lights returned to the Masonic Temple in Salt Lake City. A venue where they played many of their early now legendary shows.

September 24, 2024September 24, 2024

Stephen Sanchez

Stephen Sanchez • The Brook & The Bluff • September 21, 2024 • Sandy Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert

A line of a little over fifty people had already formed when I arrived to Sandy Amphitheater around 3 pm on Saturday, September 21st. Stephen Sanchez, joined by The Brook & The Bluff, made it back to Utah for his sold-out, “Live From The Connie Co Show,” tour stop. Making it his third show here in the last year and a half! It’s always extra fun to be able to attend a show as a fan while also getting to document the night! I’ve been a fan of Stephen’s for a few years, and when I first discovered his music, he only had one song released!

I’ve really enjoyed watching his career take off, and it’s been awesome to cover each one of his Utah shows and see the performances evolve and the crowd grow with each one! I think it goes without saying, but I was looking forward to this show!

September 23, 2024September 23, 2024

Fred Again

Fred Again • Keenan Mathias • September 15, 2024 • Utah First Amphitheatre

Reviewed and Photographed by Austin Dayton

This weekend, British DJ and Producer Fred Again brought his “Places we’ve never been” tour to Utah, a place he has never played, as he DJ’d and sang for a huge and excited crowd at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater. With him, he brought his “brother” fellow DJ Tony and had Keenan Mathias as the supporting opening set.

September 21, 2024September 23, 2024

UCR Interview: Jessica Vosk

Two years ago, I witnessed Broadway star, Jessica Vosk captivate a capacity crowd at The Noorda Center For The Performing Arts on the campus of Utah Valley University. Vosk starred as Elphaba in Wicked, the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lincoln Center, and re-created the role of Fruma Sarah in the most recent Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

She has also starred in productions of Waitress and a personal favorite, Chess (Jessica permitted me to share that she will be singing a song from this show! A reason in itself to attend!!!). at the amazing 12,000-capacity Muny in St. Louis. Jessica Vosk is returning to The Noorda on Saturday, September 21 at 7 PM. For tickets to the show, go to the link at the end of this interview. We had a chance to chat with her this week leading up to the show. Enjoy!

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024

Indigo Girls and Amos Lee

Indigo Girls • Amos Lee • September 17, 2024 • Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

Reviewed and Photographed by Marlo Matamoros

Amos Lee and the Indigo Girls co-headlined to a sold-out crowd on September 17^th at the Red Butte Garden for their outdoor concert series. The Indigo Girls are a folk-rock duo from Atlanta Georgia. The duo consists of Amy Ray and Emily Sailers who grew up together. The duo has a Grammy win for Best Contemporary Folk Recording and a documentary on Netflix that just released last year on their 40-year music journey. Indigo Girls have a huge discography with hits such as “Closer to Fine”, “Least Complicated”, “Ghost”, and “Kid Fears”. The duo can both play the guitar and sing. The duo is known for being activists and working on issues such as immigration reform, LGBTQ advocacy, Native American rights, and death penalty reform. Indigo Girls have performed on the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert series and have also toured with the Bon Iver.